Head Injury
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2009
- Posts
- 5,404
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- 443
The purpose of this thread is three-fold.
1. I wanted to try making a thread with the new forum. The button is tiny and in an odd place, but so far it's going smoothly. But the numbered list (and by extension probably bulleted too) is terrible. But I find the mechanism pretty terrible in every word processor. For some reason it deletes everything typed between the numbers when I try to remove any of them. Kept wanting to delete the paragraph under the first one. So I got rid of it all.
2. I have a shortish report due Monday. I told myself I would write it all tonight and edit it tomorrow, but I only have maybe a third of it done and it's midnight. So I need to distract myself from the pending horror and mad stress by doing something pointless.
3. Aural Madness:
Ever since I got back from dinner my ears and my headphones have clicked. Everything sounds incredible. Nuances I've never heard before, layering of instruments and sounds that always seemed like a blur on past listenings, chord progression and bass lines popping out of nowhere. I can't stop. I can't keep my eyes open, not because I'm tired but because it sounds just a little better without visual distraction. And maybe that's why I've written less than a page these last four hours.
So far since 8 p.m. I've listened through three albums.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik:
I liked this album before, but I love it now. "Give It Away" popped up on shuffle before dinner, and I had I stuck in my head the whole meal, so this is probably why I'm in the mood I'm in. I rushed back and queued the whole thing up. Flea's bass is incredible with HF2s. Punchy, detailed, an almost physical texture. The kickdrum is lacking from the insane roll-off below 50-60Hz, but the punch of it above that remains. Kiedis's vocals, especially in the hook of "Give It Away" are fast and sharp. The mastering of his vocals itself falls a little flat and he sounds thin, but the layering of all of the instruments on top of it is great. Now I can't remember what song it was in, but I swear I heard a didgeridoo.
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures:
This is one of my recent grabs from the library, which since I've started has helped me discover a lot of fantastic bands. This is one of them. I really liked this album. It was my first listen so I can't say much, but when bits of mastering wizardry popped up in what starts off as a standardish rocker album, I was surprised and happy. "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" is one of my early favorite tracks. Could do with a little more dynamic and less loud compression, though.
Radiohead - OK Computer:
This was the album I first listened to by Radiohead. Afterwards I immediately went out and listened to Kid A. OK Computer impressed me a lot, lot more on first listen. Since then Kid A has grown on me and, for a while, I considered it top dog (The Bends sat comfortably in third place the whole time). This listen has changed my mind. I always considered OK Computer to sound thin and bright in comparison, but the bass of the HF2 again impresses and each song is imparted with a warmth and fullness I've never heard before. I decided to listen after a "Karma Police" cover from one of the SXSW packages impressed me, and I listened to the real thing. It blew me away! I never liked the song much, but now it's easily my favorite on the album, perhaps of Radiohead period. The layering is again something to behold. Sounds I've never heard float in and out over the pianos and guitars, and for once Yorke's vocals sound hearty and heartfelt.
I think this is why people believe so strongly in burn-in. Eventually the equipment, the mood, the ears, all just click, and impressions are forever changed. Oh, also because we're audiophiles and need every chance we can get to convince ourselves that our paycheck-sized headphones are worth it. Tonight, I give this hobby a full three and a half thumbs up.
OK Computer impressed me so much that I'm listening to The Bends now. I don't think I'll get much more of this report done tonight.
1. I wanted to try making a thread with the new forum. The button is tiny and in an odd place, but so far it's going smoothly. But the numbered list (and by extension probably bulleted too) is terrible. But I find the mechanism pretty terrible in every word processor. For some reason it deletes everything typed between the numbers when I try to remove any of them. Kept wanting to delete the paragraph under the first one. So I got rid of it all.
2. I have a shortish report due Monday. I told myself I would write it all tonight and edit it tomorrow, but I only have maybe a third of it done and it's midnight. So I need to distract myself from the pending horror and mad stress by doing something pointless.
3. Aural Madness:
Ever since I got back from dinner my ears and my headphones have clicked. Everything sounds incredible. Nuances I've never heard before, layering of instruments and sounds that always seemed like a blur on past listenings, chord progression and bass lines popping out of nowhere. I can't stop. I can't keep my eyes open, not because I'm tired but because it sounds just a little better without visual distraction. And maybe that's why I've written less than a page these last four hours.
So far since 8 p.m. I've listened through three albums.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik:
I liked this album before, but I love it now. "Give It Away" popped up on shuffle before dinner, and I had I stuck in my head the whole meal, so this is probably why I'm in the mood I'm in. I rushed back and queued the whole thing up. Flea's bass is incredible with HF2s. Punchy, detailed, an almost physical texture. The kickdrum is lacking from the insane roll-off below 50-60Hz, but the punch of it above that remains. Kiedis's vocals, especially in the hook of "Give It Away" are fast and sharp. The mastering of his vocals itself falls a little flat and he sounds thin, but the layering of all of the instruments on top of it is great. Now I can't remember what song it was in, but I swear I heard a didgeridoo.
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures:
This is one of my recent grabs from the library, which since I've started has helped me discover a lot of fantastic bands. This is one of them. I really liked this album. It was my first listen so I can't say much, but when bits of mastering wizardry popped up in what starts off as a standardish rocker album, I was surprised and happy. "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" is one of my early favorite tracks. Could do with a little more dynamic and less loud compression, though.
Radiohead - OK Computer:
This was the album I first listened to by Radiohead. Afterwards I immediately went out and listened to Kid A. OK Computer impressed me a lot, lot more on first listen. Since then Kid A has grown on me and, for a while, I considered it top dog (The Bends sat comfortably in third place the whole time). This listen has changed my mind. I always considered OK Computer to sound thin and bright in comparison, but the bass of the HF2 again impresses and each song is imparted with a warmth and fullness I've never heard before. I decided to listen after a "Karma Police" cover from one of the SXSW packages impressed me, and I listened to the real thing. It blew me away! I never liked the song much, but now it's easily my favorite on the album, perhaps of Radiohead period. The layering is again something to behold. Sounds I've never heard float in and out over the pianos and guitars, and for once Yorke's vocals sound hearty and heartfelt.
I think this is why people believe so strongly in burn-in. Eventually the equipment, the mood, the ears, all just click, and impressions are forever changed. Oh, also because we're audiophiles and need every chance we can get to convince ourselves that our paycheck-sized headphones are worth it. Tonight, I give this hobby a full three and a half thumbs up.
OK Computer impressed me so much that I'm listening to The Bends now. I don't think I'll get much more of this report done tonight.
